The IRB office offers informal help sessions/workshops for researchers who are planning to submit, or are in the process of revising, new applications (protocols) for IRB review, amendments, or annual renewals of their human participant research projects. Walk-ins are encouraged, no registration or appointments needed.

IRB staff will be on hand to provide one-on-one assistance in the following areas:

Answering questions about the information required in each section of the protocol;

Addressing reviewer questions/comments;

Discussing options for informed consent forms and processes;

Providing guidance on more complex research design issues:

Investigator responsibilities for research on sensitive topics or use of deception methods

Use of social media or other emerging technologies in research

You are invited to get hands-on, specific assistance for your applications for IRB review. Doing so will most likely reduce the need for revisions to an application and the overall cycle time for approval of submissions. It will also help the IRB staff better understand the nature of the issues that researchers experience when designing their research and trying to understand IRB requirements.

The workshops will be held at various locations on campus for the convenience of researchers in different departments, but all researchers are welcome to attend any of the scheduled sessions. All workshop locations have wireless Internet connections. Researchers should bring their own laptop.